Apparatus for manufacturing a metal strip

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for manufacturing a metal strip ( 1 ) includes a number of rolls ( 2, 3, 4, 5 ) over which the metal strip ( 1 ) is guided in a transporting direction under a strip tension that insures that the strip is flat to a large extent at least between two rolls ( 2, 3 ) and a light source ( 6 ) operable for illuminating an area of the metal strip ( 1 ) as it moves in the transporting direction. Two cameras ( 7, 8 ), which are located in a region of the light source ( 6 ) at a distance from each other, are operable for photographing the area of the metal strip ( 1 ) illuminated by the light source from two different directions.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/886,056 filed Sep. 6, 2007.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a metal strip in which the metal strip is guided over a number of rolls under such strip tension and is advanced in a transporting direction so that it is flat to a large extent at least between two rolls.

2. Description of the Prior Art

During rolling and skinpass rolling of a metal strip, the flatness, together with the thickness and cleanliness of the strip, is a decisive factor. Therefore, it is necessary to undertake inspection during manufacturing of a metal strip to insure quality of the production, wherein, if necessary, based on the results produced by inspection, the manufacturing process should be modified.

To the end, in conclusion of a rolling process, often, the metal strip is subjected to the flatness measurement, wherein unevenesses of the strip should be revealed. To this end, flatness measuring rollers are used which are pressed with a predetermined prestress against a metal strip that is guided under tension. By measuring the imprints of the flatness measuring roller resulting from the unevenesses of the metal strip, a conclusion can be made about the unevenesses in the metal strip. Also known are systems that visualize differences in tension caused by its variations.

Unevenesses in a metal strip can be determined not only with contacting rollers but also in contactless manner. To this end, e.g., the JP 2000046752 A discloses an optical system that has an illuminating device for the strip and cameras. Therefore, it is possible to three-dimensionally measure the surface of a metal strip and determined the measurement result.

Flatness of a metal strip can also be measured with an apparatus such as disclosed in EP 1 418 400 A2. Here, likewise, deviations are determined with a camera (CCD-Kamera: Charge-Coupled-device camera).

Similar systems are disclosed in DE 197 58 466 A1 and DE 199 32 324 A1.

In all of the above-mentioned cases, unevenesses of the strip surface are measured and, if necessary, change of process parameters is undertaken.

It has been determined that specific measurement results under a corresponding strip tension are difficult to interpret because, dependent on the strip tension that is applied to the metal strip, flatness changes. Therefore, based on the strip tension to which a rolling stock is subjected in a rolling process, the stress differences over the strip width in form of buckling or unevenesses cannot be recognized or are recognizable with much difficulty.

It is particularly desirable to be able to visualize the stress distribution over the width of the metal strip in order to make a conclusion about the strip quality. At that, the apparatus for this determination should be formed in a space-saving manner and should not require any large expenses for its installation and operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the object of the invention is an apparatus of the type discussed above modified so that it is possible to obtain information even under a high strip tension which would enable to control the manufacturing process in such a way that the strip quality is optimized.

This object is achieved according to the invention by an apparatus in which the metal strip is illuminated with a light source and is photographed with two cameras from two different directions.

The apparatus for manufacturing a metal strip includes a number of rolls over which a metal strip is guided under a such strip tension and is advanced in a transporting direction so that it is flat to a large extent at least between two rolls.

According to the invention, it is provided that between two rollers, at least one light source for illuminating the metal strip is arranged, and in the region of the light source, at least one, preferably two, cameras is or are arranged and which take(s) pictures of the illuminated metal strip, and wherein the system consisting of a light source and camera or cameras is suitable for revealing tensile stresses acting in the metal strip.

Advantageously, two cameras are available which are arranged at a distance from one another so that the metal strip is photographed from two different directions. The cameras are preferably digital.

Further, receiving means, which stores the pictures taken by the camera or cameras in short time intervals, are available.

Finally, it is provided that the receiving means is connected with evaluation means suitable for comparison of pictures taken by the camera or cameras.

With the proposed process it is possible to guide the metal strip under a relatively high tension after rolling and thereby to a large extent flatly and, despite that, to be able to determine the unevenness of the strip, without taking into account high tensile stresses in the strip. The determined tensile stresses give a good indication of the quality of the finished strip so that, if necessary, the manufacturing parameters can be influenced.

Further features and particularities of the invention follow from the claims and the description of an embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The single drawing shows a side view of a rolling apparatus for manufacturing metal strips.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A metal strip 1 is rolled in the left region of the figure in a rolling region by working rolls 11 and 12 which are supported by two back-up rollers 13 and 14. Then, the metal strip 1 is advanced in a transporting direction F with a predetermined transporting speed, while being held at a certain strip tension S. The strip tension S is maintained by guiding the metal strip 1 linearly. It is guided, as it is particularly shown at the right side of the figure, by two rollers 4 and 5 in a S-shaped manner, so that a desired level of the strip tension S can be maintained between rolls 11, 12 and rolls 4, 5.

Due to the strip tension S, the metal strip 1 has a high degree of flatness, i.e., the surface unevenness is small.

Between two rolls 2 and 3, the metal strip 1 is guided flatly to a large extent. There, a light source 6 is arranged that illuminates the surface of the metal strip 1. Further, two cameras 7 and 8 are provided at two different locations and an take two pictures of the strip surface.

The system that consists of the light source 6 and cameras 7 and 8 and that is suitable for the inventive method is known under Q-400 mark as digital 3D-Correlation System of the firm DANTEC Ettemeyer GmbH, Elchingen, Germany (www.dantec-ettemeyer.com) and can be obtained from the firm. The available system is suited very well for revealing inner tensile stresses in the, to a large extent flat, metal strip and for their evaluation even when strip tension variations in a small number are necessary.

The cameras 7 and 8 is connected with receiving means 9 that is capable of storing a number of pictures in a short time. The taken pictures can be evaluated by adjoining evaluation means 10, which permits to observe distribution of tensile stresses in the metal strip and their variation with time. Dependent thereon, the manufacturing process of the metal strip 1 can be regulated.

Advantageously, during the measurement of the stresses, the strip tension that corresponds to at least 10% of the limit of elasticity of the material of the metal strip, is maintained.

The use of the revealed tensile stresses or tensile stress differences in the metal strip 1 during the manufacturing of the metal strip 1 can consist in that the tensile stresses in the strip are observed and only when needed, i.e., when the stress distribution proportions in the strip exceeds an unallowable value, certain measures are undertaken.

However, a case can be contemplated when the generated values are input into a closed control circuit that directly controls the manufacturing process of the metal strip.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1. Metal Strip -   2. Roll -   3. Roll -   4. Roll -   5. Roll -   7. Camera -   8. Camera -   9. Receiving Means -   10. Evaluation Means -   11. Working roll -   12. Working roll -   13. Back-up roll -   14. Back-up roll -   S Strip tension -   F Transportation direction 

1. An apparatus for manufacturing a metal strip (1), comprising a number of rolls (2, 3, 4, 5) over which the metal strip (1) is guided in a transporting direction under a strip tension that insures that the strip is flat to a large extent at least between two rolls (2, 3); a light source (6) operable for illuminating an area of the metal strip (1) as it moves in the transporting direction; and two cameras (7, 8) located in a region of the light source (6) at a distance from each other and operable for photographing the area of the metal strip (1) illuminated by the light source from two different directions.
 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, comprising receiving means (9) for storing pictures taken by the two cameras (7, 8).
 3. An apparatus according to claim 2, comprising evaluation means (10) connectable with the receiving means (9) for receiving the pictures stored in the receiving means (9) and for evaluating the pictures. 